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about

about

438 1.0
In or around a place, moving from one part to another
  • adverb
  • /əˈbaʊt/
translation icon : por ahí
  • We probably got about 60 seconds until they mobilize.
  • move about

Examples

  • She'll be here in about half an hour.

  • There are now two police cars behind them about half a mile back.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • All right, so James came just about, well, right in the middle of all this.

  • Oh, in about a week.

  • It's this tiny island about four hours off the coast of Cape Town.

  • We are out here about to play some squash for the first time.

  • We just drove about an hour to a waterfall called Golf Halls.

  • Usually, Rachel would already be up and about, but Mary hadn't wakened her.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Erik Ramstad Middle School was relocated about a mile away to the city auditorium with portable classrooms in back.

    Academic text (2013)
  • The park is just about ten minutes away from my house.

Synonyms

around
vsabout
1.0

Being near a place or person

expresses moving within or among various spots in an area
thereabouts
vsabout
1 4.9

In or near that place

refers more to being in several parts of an area rather than one spot
thereabout
vsabout
1 6.7

Near that place, close to the spot

expresses presence across multiple places in an area rather than just nearby
hereabouts
vsabout
1 5.4

Near this place in the local area

has broader sense of being in various places across an area, not only here

Antonyms

1.0

To move or look to a place that is not here

Idioms

3.0

Completely focused on one main subject or purpose

378 2.2

To know many things about a subject

about time
  • Informal
60 4.9

Say this when something happens later than it should

Almost anything you can think of, with only a few exceptions

42 3.5

Very excited about someone or something you like a lot

An idea or problem that needs careful thought

10 3.9

Openly say strong opinions or feelings about something

8 3.0

Close to crying because you feel sad

Say something openly and directly without hiding it

5 7.5

A lot of fuss about something unimportant

3 8.3

To show that something is certain or clear

picky about
  • Informal
3 6.8

Careful about choosing things like clothes or food and hard to please

to about-face
  • Literature
3 6.7

To change your opinion or position completely and suddenly

along about
  • Informal
1 6.3

At about that time

hyped about
  • Slang
1 7.9

Excited and eager about something new, like a game or event

1 9.7

Have almost no idea about something

1 7.3

To be good or special enough to tell people at home about

1 9.9

To leave and say you have private matters without giving details

Being very picky about small details when choosing or arranging things

8.8

Looking pale and sick, often feeling like you will vomit

To stay alert and think quickly in difficult or unexpected situations

Not very good or special

Feel so amused that you fall over and move on the floor

9.9

Choosy about small details and what they accept

People say it when something seems typical of white people and shows white privilege

Compounds

about-face
  • Literature
5 7.3

A sudden, complete change of direction or opinion

A man who often goes to restaurants, parties, and the theater for fun

about turn
  • Jargon
1 5.8

A complete change of direction or opinion, often sudden

How Near

close
1.0
nearby
325 1.0
about
438 1.0
around
1.0
far
1.0

Surface Forms

about positive

Etymology

About comes from old English parts a- 'on' and butan 'outside', so it originally meant being 'on the outside' or 'around' a place; that's why we say someone is walking about when they are in the area or moving around.